International Whaling Commission (IWC) / Commercial Whaling Moratorium / Japan Whaling

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Success for Japan in the fight against the whaling ban

In the fight against the ban of commercial whaling Japan and its allies won for the first time a vote after more than 20 years. The conference of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in St Kitts and Nevis in the Caribbean approved with 33 to 32 votes with one abstention a resolution which says the moratorium "is not any longer necessary".

The moratorium for commercial whaling, valid since 1986, remains in force because it requires a three quarters majority of the member states to its abolition.

The explanation also says whales are responsible for the decimation of the fish population and the environment protection organizations a threat for the fishing fleets.

Besides the explanation requests the IWC, not to care about the protection of the sea mammals but to care about the control of commercial whaling in the future. The resolution is not binding but increases Japan's hope to be able to tilt the ban.

The secretary of the environment of New Zealand Chris Clark called the abolition of the resolution brought in by St Kitts and

Nevis an "important diplomatic victory for Japan". The speaker of the Japanese delegation, Glenn Inwood, spoke of a "historical victory".

Environmentalists are appalled. "That is a large disaster", said Kitty Block of the Human Society International. "That will be now their propaganda." For Sue Lieberman of the WFF the vote shows that Japan with its search for support has success.

Japan and Iceland officially adhere to the whaling ban. However they use an exception clause to the killing of the sea mammals which claims is for "scientific purposes". Norway does openly not adhere the ban of whaling. Together the three states kill annually about 2000 whales.

The IWC has been split for years into two camps, into that of the proponent and that of the opponent of commercial whaling. Since years Japan has affected poor countries with development assistance in order to buy their votes.

(Source: sda)

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	Environment protection organizations need all the support they can get in order to protect the whales final becoming extinct. It's a shame that Japan is buying votes from third world countries and even tries to affect the population with untruths. Whales are not evil eating machines who decimate the fish population of the seas.


For the desolate empty fishing of the seas, humans with their enormous fishing fleets are responsible themselves and not the whales. Therefore support organizations like the WWF or Greenpeace so that the commerce does not destroy the last remainder of our oceans.

Don't look away - do something!!


	To the Website of WWF


	To the Website of Greenpeace

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